Posts inLife Diary

Today

Hello gorgeous people. This is the third attempt to write this post – thank God this one is a success. I’ve decided to include my earlier attempts as they bear on all I’m discussing today.

Hey guysss. A life update post is due, yes?

Where do I start from? I’ve had an absolute back-breaking week. But its been a delightful week, all the same. I’m almost through with undergraduate studies. Exams are done and dusted, my project submitted today. All that’s left is to have the finalist send-forth program in my faculty, the send-forth in my fellowship too. Every other thing is by the way. Are you aware that I’ll be proceeding to law school this April? No, of course you aren’t. Well, I’m going. That one is a whole long story on its own!

Argh, I’m failing at this life update thing. Where do I even start to write from?

Now I know what to type unlike what I wrote yesterday. I’m not very fine. I’m not. I’m mentally spaced out. I had a scare this exam period with one of my courses – jurisprudence and legal theory. A real scare that kept me thinking I may have a carryover course for the first time ever, which means an extra year. An extra year when I ought to be at law school. An extra year which will depress me and shatter my esteem. So I prayed and confessed God’s word and was assured of his plan for me, especially seeing as I read for the exam, other things simply went wrong.

I’ve had to read so much for my exams, work on my project and plan the externalities involved with it, work on an assignment, justle re-establishing this blog along side, and carried on my head a responsibility at fellowship which felt like it was otherwise crashing at that time.

I’m not so fine mentally. Some days, I feel like my literal heart is heavy. At the risk of appalling everyone, I wonder if I have a rising blood pressure.

Yet in the midst of all this (in a week and a half), I’ve worshipped God and enjoyed beautiful times with him. But at other times, my heart is heavy. It is. I’ve panicked. Panicked about law school and if I was getting anything right, wondered if I was going to be late for my application.

I don’t know, but I don’t like having an heavy heart. I don’t like not being a free-spirited adult. I don’t want to be light and free simply because I’m not thinking of some stuff. I want to be able to think of all I need to and still be light. I don’t want to jettison anything to the corner of my mind like it isn’t real so I’ll have peace. I just don’t want to. I believe in having peace in spite.

Today

This past week I did all the running around under the sun that comes with completing my final year project. I completed my final year exams. I had major stress over completing my law school application in two days to meet the deadline. There was also the general trepidation of law school and the rush attached to the April batch.

In retrospect, I’m just a stickler for perfection; which is good once I can cast aside the worries that come with it. Till today while I type, a number of my classmates are still not through with the law school application or their projects. For everything we’ve had to do, out of 150+ students, I was always in the first seven to submit on the first day required and to do it thoroughly(by myself). So why fret, young lady? Oh young lady.

This leads me to remember an interesting passage in an even more interesting translation:

Phillipians 4:4-7

Always be filled with joy in the lord. I will say it again. Be filled with joy. Let everyone see that you are gentle and kind. The Lord is coming soon.

Don’t worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks for what you have.

And because you belong to Christ Jesus, God’s peace will stand guard over all your thoughts and feelings.

His peace can do far better than our human minds.

The last two paragraphs always do the wonder. Peace can stand like a guard over my heart. Peace isn’t passive and negligible, its a warrior (just like TY Bello and Sinach sang here). I get to have this peace simply because I belong to Christ. Thoughts and feelings have no chance before my skillful guard.

This applies to you too, my friend.

Onto other things, do you remember last year I mentioned that I wasn’t sure how blogging would go this year. Everyone says law school is a jealous lover, it wants all your attention. But I’ll be sure to come around as often as I can, even if its just to give you life update posts. I miss writing other posts. Please pray for me. Also subscribe to my newsletter because that is the only sure way of keeping in touch with me. Social media will fail.

Its good to write on here again, are you happy to hear from me too? It’ll be good to read something about your own life update too in the comment box.

Tell me, what do you also think of the new blog layout? If you need someone to fix you up with something similar, I have just the right contact.

Hello!
Story, story? Story. Once upon a time, there lived a boy called David and he was a shepherd. One sunny day, his father sent him to enquire about his brothers’ welfare. Here’s what happened:

Early in the morning David left the flock with a shepherd, loaded the supplies and set out, as Jesse had directed. He reached the camp as the army was going out to its battle position, shouting their war cry. Israel and the philistines were drawing up their lines facing each other. David left his things with the keeper of supplies, ran to the battle lines and greeted his brothers. As he was talking with them, Goliath the philistines champion from Gath, stepped out from his lines and shouted his usual defiance, and David heard it.

1 Samuel 17:17-23A/N: This post was written some many weeks back but its ever relevant:
SINCE I got home a while back, I’ve been pressed with a few house chores – nothing too much really, but things that haven’t gone down well with me.

WHY?

I had a wrong mindset. I had gotten so consumed in the fast-paced, so-called ‘result driven’ world that I subconsciously put a price on everything. If it wasn’t going to add to my knowledge base, better my spiritual life or yield me money, it was pointless.
But that is far from the truth.
What happened to the scripture that says whatsoever presents itself for you to do, do it with all your might, because there is no work, planning, knowledge, or skill in the grave where you’re going. Ecclesiastes 9:10.
What of 1Corinthians 10:31?
God makes our meek character through things like this. I’ll be honest to say I’ve had amazing moments doing the dishes at home – times when I heard God review my life and actions, times when I worshipped and prayed. And even if none of these, like I stated, just learning meekness is sufficient.ON SUNDAY, we had an extraordinarily long bible-passage reading in church – as I joked, it was almost longer than the sermon which came up later.
One of the passages read was the story of David’s meeting with Goliath – 1 Samuel 17. The Lord gave me a simple lesson right in the church – you can find your life’s vision while running an errand!
In the midst of house chores, you can fulfill divine mission. If you’ve listened to great men, you’ll reckon a number of them talk of finding their big calling in the middle of service to God and/or man.
David was so diligent with his errand that he got someone else to handle the cattle he shepherded while he went away to obey papa. At his brothers’ camp, he gave the supplies to the supplies keeper (might’ve paid for that) and ran to say hello to his brothers.
He didn’t say, “Well I’ve taken the supplies over, they’ll meet it when they get back“. He was so diligent with it all. If you’re like I was two weeks ago, thinking everything should literally add to you (even when sacrificing and helping), it’s not called being a goal-getter, it’s a ME-mentality disorder (selfishness).

“You can find your life’s vision while running an errand!”

You can find God in the middle of your mega errands. Tell me, what has been your experience running errands? Or are you one of the infinitely lucky ones who live life without house-chores?
P.S: If you’re unfamiliar with the rest of David’s interesting story (the life vision he got while running his errand), run a google search of 1Samuel 17 or get in touch with me.Much love,Debby.

Heyyy guys. How are you doing? That you’re here reading again shows you’re taking at least one right step. Welcome back💙. Reading is always the way to go. To more books in 2019🍻.
Early last year, I wrote a post on books: 2018 in books; it was to give you tips for reading better in 2018. Towards the close of last year, I thought to myself: Debby, you’re no longer giving out tips on reading because just how many books are you yourself reading?! (The impostor syndrome post guys). I know people that read double what I read, so what? I have a lesson to share.In that eureka, hereI am writing again on the importance of reading (I just can’t help it. It’s from my heart).
I have a whole lot ahead of me in the future, but where I am now, I am grateful for it. To be frank with you, a bulk of it came through reading or other forms of learning. I see people’s reaction in certain instances and I see mine(inserts grave modesty), I ask myself what the distinguishing factor is and I know its wisdom.
I remember seeing a tweet once where someone asked people to comment on the things they were most happy about themselves. One blogger wrote “I’m glad that I’m aware”. Just like that. Aware. Not aware of abc or xyz. Aware. I think that is beautiful. I never forgot since then and I hope to always be aware. Plain awareness is on a whole deeper level. It is a conscious living birthed through a constant desire to learn.
That’s what this post is about- learning by all means.
My guess is I could’ve read an additional twelve books to the number I read last year if I had gathered the time I spent listening to podcasts, audio bible, audio books, Christian messages ( videos included) and turned them on to books. I could’ve. I’m glad I didn’t though. Why? It isn’t about the number of books you cover, it is about the knowledge, and if you can glean it through other sources, by all means go ahead. I had an explosion both reading and listening. Go out on a limb to learn and not just to get to the last page of a book.
The aim Is knowledge, guys. Knowledge. When you know, you are empowered anywhere you go. For Christians, it is the Holy Spirit who breathes on the knowledge(resources) you already have and turns it to wisdom. That’s the secret. Have you read the exchange of the debtor woman in 2 Kings 4: 1 – 7? Vs2:

Elisha said to her, What shall I do for you? Tell me, what have you [of sale value] in the house? She said, Your handmaid has nothing in the house except a jar of oil.

The little jar of oil which she regarded for nothing was the catalyst for her miracle of abundance. You must always have something that can be leveraged upon. So guys, challenge yourselves. Know some more this year, do better in learning by listening and reading. Ask questions, observe. You’ll be richer for it. Awareness will always make the difference.
From the depth of my heart, this is my first message to you in 2019. Read. Listen. Learn. Stay aware. Blow your own mind.
As always,
Love and light.

Here I am on the blog again.
What do I write on? I planned to write on TLC but perhaps you should simply read what I wrote last year + read up on the website.
Its been a long time I wrote about myself so here it goes.
I’m in my school currently. I plan on leaving for home this weekend. There’s been a strike for over 5 weeks now. Strikes and Nigerian universities.
I have a new ‘younger sister’ and I’m glad for the beautiful things God’s been doing in her life. She just left my room with joy.
I went swimming recently. Lol. I think the water is as fascinating as it is annoying. I’m undecided as to whether I rate myself well or not for my first swimming exercise. In my opinion I was fighting against the water, like you can’t control me you this water. But no one can swim without relinquishing control now, can they? At some point I sang some hymns under water and that helped me relax😀😀.
I’ve been trying to do a little exercise daily. Some people have asked why since I’m not fat. I know I’m not fat. I’ve even lost terrible weight. But I’m tired of having to pant a little after climbing two floors. I need to be fit and healthy. 😊
I’ve had amazing time releasing myself to God again. I’ve been going through my old Bible journal entries, I wonder when I’ll finish. You know the Bible chronicles God’s workings in the lives of ordinary people and many of them had real drama on their hands. I think my drama is little compared to a lot of them so it’s cool, God loves me in spite of my drama. I hope you know what drama means here.
I’ve had amazing time in worship too.
I’ve spent the longest time in the world working on my final year thesis/project. It’s astounding but I’m awed by it. I have a love-hate relationship with it, but I have a vision so it makes it all an amazing ride.
I’m like ‘2019 is here’ girl! What of all the plans you should begin to structure in for the new year? Haha. Anyway, I’d love book recommendations for next year (don’t think ‘oh she wouldn’t like this one’. Just recommend the books you’ve loved so far. Pretty please).
I don’t know what blogging will look like next year but I know what I will look like next year – stronger still, winning at life like the Deborah that I am. I love my grace.
I’m excited. Are you? I pray you get excited to move into yet another beautiful landmark in this life. I don’t do so as often as I’ll love but I’m praying for you. 😊
How did I do for a brief and impromptu life review?
💙
Love and light,
Debby.

and staying there…The confusion that swarms my heart when I read a brilliant blog or listen to good spoken word poetry is almost on the same level as the joy I get.Confusion because I wonder if I’m really going to go all out into media, art, and literature. My brain rations that a bit of writing and plenty of law. But that’s my brain. And that’s not today’s conversation.Today’s conversation? That joy and not the confusion. That giddy joy I felt for a month after listening to Emi Mahmud recite three spoken word pieces some years ago, that joy I felt when I completed Ghana must go,the joy of seeing new travel documentaries, that joy I remember when I read CNA’s new short story at the time, or when last year Francine Rivers announced she’ll be releasing a new book March 2018(p.s: the last I asked the book amounted to N7,000. oh well), – Many causes of joy.How do I stay in that joy?How do I go about ensuring that life and responsibilities do not keep me away from reading blogs like the one I just read before writing this? I started to follow Blessing Omakwu on IG some months back. I love her mother’s messages. Seeing she was the daughter, I simply followed. I enjoyed her insightful captions and discussions on social matters on Instagram. In her bio, I saw she had a blog but I never clicked through until today. At the time of typing this post, I have read only two and a half posts on the blog. The smile that flitted my face as my phone’s battery died on me, has led me to type this post.That smile.How do you find your happy place and stay there?There is something God designed you to just like.
Hiii guys. I wrote the above over a month ago. This afternoon*, I wasn’t having a chilled time. I woke up with a cold and I drank a cup of ginger tea to ease the sore throat I felt building up. I spent quite a while doing my morning devotion. I hurriedly cooked white rice which I ate with chicken before going for class (10am). Well, I was late to class, blame it on the chicken.
Mid-way the class, my friend sent me a note discreetly. It read:
“she said there will be a test after this class”
I replied: “on this topic?”
I was going to do okay with any other topic because I’d brushed up. But today’s class? Up until that moment I was just going through the motions of writing the note, and not really enjoying the class, because, sore throat + late coming.
“yes” my friend nodded in reply. Tell me something I don’t know.
I began to pay keen attention to all the lecturer said. Said test didn’t later hold but she gave those of us in class three marks for attendance. Woo-hoo!
Before the next lecturer came in, I got an email from Scribd telling me my subscription issues had been sorted out. I wanted to listen to an audiobook but I just found it hard to flow with all three that I tried. Perhaps it was the noise in the classroom or the fact that audiobook I suspect, tends to demand all your attention in a pretty annoying manner. Isn’t it supposed to somewhat do the opposite?
I discussed Investment banking with my friend Taiwo for as long as she needed in order to be satisfied (heyy Taiwo!) .
When I got back to my hostel eventually, it was hot and I was nursing a headache. I took a pain-reliever. I previewed a few movies while thinking that I really should get to work. I didn’t later see any of them. I sent some messages that needed sending. Got ready to tie up my preparation note for my hostel’s fellowship meeting I was to coordinate in the evening. Just before doing that, I got another e-mail.
It was a newsletter from Blazers and Baby – A blog that teaches women how to maintain good work-life balance. So I read the newsletter she sent today and opened the links she referred to.
And after the first four or so lines in the newsletter, I smiled again. Same as the Blessing Omakwu’s blog smile. Then I eventually decided to put up this post on ‘Happy Place’.
Also, the Lord instructed the sun to go easy on me. I get a little cranky and uncomfortable when it’s hot. So it all went well.Context of ‘Happy place’ in this blog post: Something which stirs your wonder, makes you experience child-like joy, especially in the middle of an impossible day or week. Something that just resonates with you.
I think you can find that thing and do a little more of it. We all love a happier version of you.
For me, outside of the pressure, I really like blogging. Inside the pressure? taah! (The other things I love doing will be in another blog post someday)
All I know is the more work you do, the more you must find time for what takes you to your happy place.So tell me, what is one thing you enjoy doing?P.s: if you ever feel guilty based on getting pleasure from your happy place, read this post of mine.
*This was on Thursday.
Love and happy places,
Debby.

I’ve learnt A LOT from TED talks over time. The acronym TED stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design. TED is a media organization that posts talks online for free distribution. The media conferences began in 1984 and 2006, they started posting online for the world to view. These talks are designed to spread ideas which are worth knowing. The talks are given in 18 minutes or less. They must also be free from political and religious beliefs.
Over time it expanded from technology, design and entertainment into talks in all disciplines without border.
Frankly, it helps broaden your perspective, shows you what’s possible and propels you to think, which ultimately enlightens your worldview.
In 2009, TEDx started. X = independently organized TED talks. This way, these talks can be organized locally in every community(subject to TED’S licence) to spread ideas by speakers who are knowledgeable in that industry.
I’m a new member of the Tedx team in UI. TedxUI is pretty new, it started two years ago . I initially thought this post was mostly going to be about our event that held last week Saturday but I’ve found out I barely have anything to really write about that. Will I tell you of how it was a little physically exhausting for the team members, or do I tell you of our initial wardrobe T-Shirt malfunction for the event, or I simply tell you how a speaker I looked forward to hearing wasn’t around, or do I tell you that Simi the popular singer was around, or do I tell you how the breakdown of our itinerary for the day went?
I wouldn’t dare to tell you of each speaker’s talk because that would be such a tasking job now, wouldn’t it? I tried it for this blog post actually, but it didn’t work. However, we intend to have these talks on Youtube soon and you’ll be able to watch them and learn from them.
My best speaker during this event was Ogunbowale Olugbenga. In my books and in that of a friend, this speaker got the concept of a TED talk down to the tee, unlike some others. He brought an idea on how banter can save our lives. He shared the idea using his personal story on discovering he had scoliosis. It was enlightening in all regard.
You want more clarity on TED talks? check the official website. Better still, the best way to really know about it some more? Watch TED videos – they’re everywhere on youtube. And interestingly, there’s a specialized application for it too. Its similar to youtube but its purely TED talks.
Now I’d love to give you my all-time favourite Ted talks and Tedx talks but lol, I’ve forgotten which ones were my best, I simply gleaned ideas from them. However out of the deep love I have for you, I went scouting through over two hundred videos In my youtube history to handpick a few you may start with. My areas of interest may be vastly different from yours and so these may not be your best exposure to TED talks(but I hope they are).
Have a blast.
1. Listening to shameOthers(in no particular order)10 ways to have a better conversationMy year of saying yes to everythingChange your life by overcoming your fearsTeach girls bravery not perfectionWhy we have too few women leadersHow Africa can use its traditional knowledge to make progressDon’t ask where I’m from, ask where I’m a localWe should all be feministsIf I should have a daughterBeing the real me without apologyHow to make stress your friend
Love and light,
Debby.

Hello everyone. Quite a number of times, I’ve been asked about my silence over here. My mind has been here but my daily actions haven’t aligned. I apologize.
But by my stats, I see you keep coming and you encourage my heart. 💙💙
I’m back. Where do I start from?
What I really want to do is give you a little gist of one of the events I’ve had in the period I’ve been away.
I guess I’ve never stated it explicitly on here, even though I’ve done so indirectly a number of times: I’m a 500level law student of the university of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria and I worship at a campus fellowship: Ibadan varsity Christian Union -NIFES.
My fellowship is under both the auspices of Christian union and NIFES(Nigerian fellowship of evangelical students).
We are very evangelical.
We embarked on a village outreach recently. The village where we had our camp base was Jarija. We’ve visited the surrounding villages in that location for outreaches for quite sometime.
Village outreach take off is always on a Thursday and we stay there till Sunday.
Thursday found me at House no 12, Kurunmi road. It’s a residential area for university senior staff, and this one belongs to one of our patrons in fellowship. A number of us were there cooking; mainly sorting out the fishes to be used for the entire outreach, cooking dinner for that evening + other basics. Someone told me of how the abundance of fish we sorted and cooked, triggered his memory of the Jesus(documentary) film where two fishes became an abundance for all. I know!
Here’s a photo grid of pictures from that thursday:
Everyone had a scheduled takeoff time for the village. Mine was 2:30pm and so at that time, I took off for the chapel within school. At the chapel, we got seated in a bus, the bus was loaded with extra bags of water and we took off.
I led the prayer as the bus took off. I had a book with me which I intended to read the whole journey. However, I couldn’t stop praying once I started. 😀 I kept praying personally.P.S: why do people always sleep when travelling, even for short trips? I don’t get it. Virtually everyone on the bus slept.
We got to the base, Jarija, circa 4:16pm. We met a team praying on ground, as is always the case. We joined and then we prayed, prayed and prayed. And still we prayed. Later in the late evening, we stopped to rest for a while. Before long, we gathered again, and prayed and prayed. That’s the way thursdays go in the village – pray it through.
The final buses were yet to arrive from school. Eventually, the bus bringing the food arrived really late, I didn’t take note of the time but I guess it was around 12am already. We ate white rice, then had a camp briefing by the Evangelism secretary and off to sleep.
Oh wait, my unit – prayerband, – had a brief meeting where we were counselled to join the entire prayer chain for the night.
We always have a prayer chain during the outreach. Everyone has an hour prayer slot when they’re woken up at night to pray. That way there’s always a group praying all night till dawn. You can always stay for more than your time slot. As prayer band members we were adviced to stay the whole night praying. Erhm, however, after my duly assigned chain of 12-1am, I strolled back to the hostel like a cartoon character, and there I slept.
The next morning, the camp commandants were at it. It was an experience with these commandants. I’ve been in village outreaches before and had commandants but these ones were indefatigable 😁. They wore neon coloured orange vests over their clothes. You wouldn’t imagine how annoying their shouts could get in the mornings but I appreciate their dedication to the work( I’m just being polite). Its exhausting having so much noise around you for the most of the day, and a greater amount of it when you’re just waking up!
I had my personal devotion, then we gathered for general devotion. There was time for us to fetch water and have our bathe – all these, under strict time slot accompanied with loud claps, bells and shouts from these commandants. *Sighs*
We had an exhaustive in-house bible study time. Then we ate our brunch.
Each person falls into an axis as per the norm. We had three axes (OBV, a blog reader pointed out the plural of axis to me; Axes not Axises); A, B, C.
Each axis had about four or five villages underneath it. I was allocated Ladele village but for friday, I was among the group that stayed back to pray through out – remember, prayer band member? We prayed till Axis A members got back from the house-to-house evangelism in the early evening.
The camp base was in Axis A. The format goes thus: after house-to-house evangelism in the villages, the villagers are told about the crusade to hold in a chosen village for each axis. So of the four or five villages in axis B, Omu-Aran was chosen, of the five in C, Akindele was chosen. Ofcourse for A, our camp base, Jarija, was chosen.
At the time we prayer band members paused praying briefly, we quickly broke our fast then gathered to pray again for the crusade about to start.
I soon left the prayers to join those organizing the village children. P.S Flashback – Thursday night after I arrived and we had that mini break inbetween the long hours of prayer, I sat outside with a book (I’m the fresh air + book type of girl). I beckoned to one of the village girls and she came to stay with me. That gave a host of them boldness to draw near me too. But I kept mute mostly because I was a little tired, and more because my yoruba was all over the place. These children spoke expert yoruba, I heard them clearly. I was a little skeptical about speaking the yoruba I tend to speak. I never went to a church where interpretation was made from English to yoruba language so when it comes to words like redemption, repentance, other bible words and general lingua flow, I always stutter. I can however speak household yoruba.
Last year’s outreach, I was going to ask a woman which religion she believed in. Religion in yoruba is ‘Esin’. My people, lo and behold, I asked which ‘aisan’ she worshipped. ‘Aisan’ means illness. That did it. It just did it. Yourubas can be very superstitious. How do I go about explaining that error. Did I mean her harm?
now you get my reluctance to speak yoruba in the face of the expert yoruba these children threw about.
So back to Friday when I joined those organizing the children, I made sure I played the firm aunty’s role. I was telling them I won’t tolerate any noise at all, I made them shout and repeat the memory verses I taught them etc. All theses were done with what we’ll call “bold face*“. When it came to teaching the word though, I gallantly left it to the better yoruba speakers. And yes, I taught them some beautiful songs, I hope they still remember.
The pictures below aren’t capturing even half of them.P.p.p.s: The children were not as gentle as they appear in the pictures. Take my word for it!
After we were through with teaching the children and giving them gift packs, we helped at the crusade ground where the preaching was going on. We prayed with the villagers that accepted Christ, prayed for their specific needs, and jotted down their address details for follow-up. After that, those from the other axes began to arrive having done same where they were. We had dinner. Then prayer chain began all over.
This night, I couldn’t walk to my hostel like a cartoon character after my 12-1 am prayer chain slot. Why? We prayer and members were no longer adviced to stay all through, but mandated to stay the whole prayer chain so I did. 😀😀. It was amazing. We however had continuous rain showers. Not drizzle. Rain that drenched and soaked us. Rain that caused me to shiver. The involuntary shake shake shiver. But still we prayed prayed inspite of the shake shake shivers.
Saturday went pretty much the same way with routine. By 5pm, the children we had at hand were more in number. The commandants’ claps got louder still, their voices louder. It was almost incredulous.
One thing I always look forward to in our village outreaches is the bible study. We always have lots of time to study under the open heavens. It was a beautiful time again. The only issue was that we had an abundance of sunlight. I mean abundance. Guys, I had sunburn. I’m still recovering from that sunburn(well…, I’ve done really well over these two weeks now). Sunburn so evident, it has been the subject of discussion for almost everyone who’s seen me since then. Like I laughed it off with a friend, the bible doesn’t promise beautiful faces for those who preach, it’s beautiful feet (Isaiah 52:7). But wait, Daniel 12: 3 says those who turn many to righteous shall shine like stars forever more. 😇
Another notable fact: on Saturday, I went for house-to-house evangelism and the prayer band members who did so on Friday were the ones who then stayed back to pray all through the day.
.
Saturday night, after the crusades in each axis, and everyone had arrived, each axis leader gave a report on the souls won, challenges faced etc. Then we had thanksgiving praises to God for all the souls that had been won. We danced till day break.
We woke up and had devotion time. Then thorough cleanup of the environment began. We cleared the kitchen equipments, cleared out our hostels which happened to be the primary school for the villagers. I spent time picking charcoal from the ground and underneath my fingernails looked very blessed with black coal.
Then, the photo gallery sessions began, as people filed out of the village in different batches.
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I doubt I did justice to the experience in this narration, but this is an attempt to encourage someone else who is otherwise very skeptical every time they hear of a village outreach. It is beautiful to serve. And no, no witches will eat your head off if you’re in Christ Jesus.Added point: It’s a great time doing what Jesus did while he was here on earth. Try it.
.Urhm, even though they won’t read this, this post is dedicated to those whose names are still carved in my heart from the village experience. To: Idris, Smart, Aminat, Iya wasiu and that loud woman whose husband has packed out. I’m praying for you.Ivcu 2018 village outreach: Glad tidings of great joy.Ever been on a village outreach? What was your experience?
*Bold face means false bravado.
Love,
Debby

Hiii people.
I debated putting up a post today for one reason: It’s okay.
It’s okay to not put up a post even when I’ve been so consistent in doing so. It’s okay to read for exams and pause blogging for a while.
It’s however interesting that it’s that same reason why I eventually decided to put up this post. It’s okay. It’s okay for me to desire a post at least once a week. It’s okay for me to care for this space so much that I unwittingly find myself back here. It’s okay.
Telling yourself it’s okay is acknowledging your humanity and pressing foward. It’s living simply.
An hymn goes:

I’m only human, I’m just a woman.Help me believe in what I could beAnd all that I am.Show me the stairway, I have to climb.Lord for my sake, teach me to takeOne day at a time.

One day at a time sweet JesusThat’s all I’m asking from you.Just give me the strengthTo do everyday what I have to do.Yesterday’s gone sweet JesusAnd tomorrow may never be mine.Lord help me today, show me the wayOne day at a time.

Do you remember, when you walked among men?Well Jesus you know if you’re looking belowIt’s worse now, than then.Cheating and stealing, violence and crimeSo for my sake, teach me to takeOne day at a time.

One day at a time sweet JesusThat’s all I’m asking from you.Just give me the strengthTo do everyday what I have to do.Yesterday’s gone sweet JesusAnd tomorrow may never be mine.Lord help me today, show me the wayOne day at a time.

That’s often my song when everything gets too fast paced and wearisome.
I hope you find it in you to say it’s okay. To admit what’s wrong or right and forge ahead.
I hope you find it in you to believe you’re more than the setbacks you’ve had. That possibly, failure is only failure when you make it so. A living dog is better than a dead lion. Ecclesiastics 9:4
Stay encouraged. Stay on top of your life game. And remember you have no excuse for mediocrity. Read my post on A privileged generation for more clarity. No excuses. Right now, I’m all motivated because I’ve been using the benefits of that generation – can I get an amen? 😀
Do have a great weekend. And take a picture of nature this week! Who knows? You might get a good angle without trying hard. 🍻
With all the Love in my heart,
Debby.

Hello fam! It’s Debby.
I felt slightly strange all week long when I didn’t put out another post on Wednesday. A week interval felt like a long time as I had gotten used to two posts a week. Mine! Glad I’m here now though. Students and Examsssssss!
Today, I’m interested in telling you all about how to keep God’s word in your heart. Does it really stay in the heart? And I’m not talking about being able to quote them. I’m talking of all-through-the-day meditation and application.
I’ll be going about it by telling you the things that work for me. They aren’t exclusive and I’ll like to know what other suggestions you have in the comment box.

1. Sincerity: I like to think I’m super sincere with God. I try to be. I tell him I’ve been finding bible-study difficult. I don’t pray because I’ve been told to, I pray because prayer is communing with him. You know how you’ll be glad to keep up communication with someone you’ll love to have as a mentor, someone who’s the buzz of your industry. If she/he spares you five minutes, you won’t use only two out of those five. You’ll even ask questions you already have answers to, just to keep them talking. God is so much greater than my inspiration or the next big thing. It’s a privilege to keep up the communication line with this brilliant artist, scientist, advocate, technician, teacher and more all in one. Whoa God.
So really it’s a privilege and you should try it. Prayer isn’t boring (once you get past the first few minutes, sometimes). Talk to him about your disinterest in reading the bible. You don’t have to start the conventional way, nor use verbose language, No. Communicate with Jesus.
He’s ready to help ‘‘God, I don’t feel like reading my bible o. I just feel like browsing. Smh for me right? Let’s try audio bible or what do you say…?’’. From my experience, before you’re through with your dialogue (don’t have your heart set on a monologue), you’ll have answers through a scripture that flashes by your heart or through sudden strength to read the bible. Be sincere. God is more interested in speaking to you through his word than you are even interested.
2. Listen to audio bible: This! I learnt it from both my parents especially my mum.
My first beautiful trial of this was through my campus fellowship. I was in 200level or maybe 100. The bible study team gave us the audio bible – “The bible experience” to foster our reading through the New Testament in a short time frame. I enjoyed it! Listening and reading the same translation simultaneously is epic. It always transported me. Subsequently, I’ve used it a lot. You also need this and not some ‘boring’ audio bible narration. I’ve listened to some that are slightly unbelievable in how dull the narrators are. “The bible experience’’ gives you different voices for each character and another for the narrator, all the background sounds are also mirrored e.g If it says Jesus went to the market place, you’ll hear market chatter. I recommend it.
3. Messages: I can’t say this enough I guess. Messages are wonderful because the preachers tell you from the sincerity of their hearts what they’ve understood over many years. You’re able to stand on their shoulders.
Truth is, you get the most of a message by repetitive listening and not just one time.
And as good as messages are, if you listen to many messages without studying your bible yourself, you may start to get confused. Why use the secondary source when you have the primary? What messages are to do is aid your comprehension of God’s word, help apply what you know in theory to everyday life, also give you theological perspectives etc.
4. Sticky notes: If you’re cool with using sticky notes, please do it. Paste them by your worktable. As long as you sit there, you see the memory verse smiling down on you. When I don’t want sticky notes to litter the whole place(which I never want), I write them in little papers like the one below and rotate them often. One stays on top for some days.
Put it as your phone’s wall paper like mine currently is:just stick it around you. That’s why God’s instruction to the Israelites was:

“never forget these instructions that I am giving you today. Teach them to your children. Repeat them when you are at home and when you are away, when you are resting and when you are working. Tie them on your arms and wear them on your foreheads as a reminder. Write them on the doorposts of your houses and on your gates.’’ Deut 6:6-9

5. Make it your hobby: what do I mean by this? Don’t waste a moment. Since I got in the university I don’t suppose I’ve wasted the time used in re-organizing my wardrobe – I tend to do this quite frequently because, there’s no space 😊.
Every single time, I click on ‘play all’ for whichever book I choose, often the gospels and I begin to hear Jesus instruct his disciples. I follow him through the synagogue and down to his meeting the centurion. Its an experience really. I recommend this. Never let a moment for rearranging your wardrobe or folding your clothes go to waste – seeing you’ve read this blog post. Again I warn, never fold clothes for nothing.
Listen to a message when you’re cooking. I was telling two friends yesterday that I’m afraid those on the same floor with me would soon dub me ‘the message girl’. Every time I’m washing plates, I listen. Every time I’m cooking, I listen. That way, one point sticks and I get to meditate on it all night long. My mind has no free moment since I give it no choice. It picks up the things I’ve listened to and ponders. Try it; give your mind a new task!That’s it! Basic but timeless. I remind myself of these things too when I start to slack off. What do you use? Help us grow!
Love and Peace,
Debby.

The single story.
It was the holiday season. The sun had set and evening calm descended upon the neighbourhood. The campus boys in the compound behind weren’t playing obnoxiously loud music. There hadn’t been any football matches during the day either; football matches that often sent their ball flying into our compound which, depending on the mood of our dogs, were licked, deflated or ignored.
My mum and elder sister were the only ones in the house with me. We were at the dinning table, probably one of those days when mum had just gotten back and we were gisting while she ate her dinner. It was a slow evening so I hadn’t told Emil to switch on the generator yet.
The soft glow from the solar-powered lamp illuminated the white walls.
The subject of our conversation must’ve flowed around perspectives for I ran upstairs to fetch my mini-laptop.
I remember setting it down on the table and clicking on Chimamanda’s Ted talk – “The danger of the single story.” – for both of them to watch.
I remember the pride that soared in my heart as Chimamanda’s steady and knowing voice filled the silence in the house.
Chimamanda’s talk on the single story is acclaimed one of the most-widely watched ted talks on youtube with 3.7 million views.What was she saying in that talk?
How do I summarise that brilliance into a few lines here? I’d rather quote excerpts and urge you to watch the video here:

“I come from a conventional middle-class Nigerian family, and so we had, as was the norm, live-in domestic help who would often come from nearby rural villages. So the year I turned eight, we got a new houseboy. His name was Fide. The only thing my mother told us about him was that his family was very poor. And when I didn’t finish my dinner, my mother would say, finish your food, don’t you know people like Fide’s family have nothing? So I felt enormous pity for Fide’s family.But one Saturday, we went to his village to visit, and his mother showed us a beautifully patterned basket, made of dyed raffia, that his brother had made. I was startled. All I had heard about them was how poor they were, so that it had become impossible for me to see them as anything else but poor. Their poverty was my single story of them.”

She also tells of her previous single story opinion of Mexicans.
Also, her roommates disposition to her when she was 19 and new in the U.S.

“If I had not grown up in Nigeria, and if all I knew about Africa were from popular images, then I too would think that Africa was a place of beautiful landscapes, beautiful animals and incomprehensible people fighting senseless wars, dying of poverty and AIDS, unable to speak for themselves, and waiting to be saved by a kind, white foreigner. I would see Africans in the same way that I as a child had seen Fide’s family“

”…all of these stories make me who I am but to insist on only these negative stories is to flatten my experience and overlook the many other stories that form me. The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue but they are incomplete, they make one story become the only story”

Why am I bringing this up?
It’s easy for anyone on my campus fellowship who knows me as a spirit-filled sister to think all that there is to me is something fellowship-related once I’m through with classes. It’s easy for them to think I have no opinion on politics or assume I don’t read novels. assumptions.
It’s easy for someone to view the president of my fellowship as spiritkoko and not know that he likes football, a whole lot at that, or that the P.R.O of the fellowship has a sister who models in the U.S. I’m just painting a picture. We have lives, full lives. Those lives are often viewed through the lenses of sister and brother sososo, that’s okay once your lenses admit that generally, everyone is an human being and Jesus is happy about that.
Not the single story of ”I only see X in fellowship, and X is a student, therefore brother X is made up of classes and fellowship time”.
Single story. The danger of this single story is that brother X starts to live an insecure and people-conscious life.

“…The single story creates stereotypes, and the problem with stereotypes is not that they are untrue but they are incomplete, they make one story become the only story”

Essentially, you must know everyone is a person and persons are subject to idiosyncrasies and a full world of ideas and passions. That your prayer secretary may be nursing the ambition to be the next governor of Oyo state(and it might not make him any less spiritual than if he’d been hoping to be the next missionary). Everyone is a person and Jesus loves them like that, Jesus planted a huge number of those passions in their hearts and Jesus is happy to see them bloom. Jesus doesn’t think they should only pray in fellowship. Jesus supports your vice-president going to the gym.
I believe when you accept it about yourself, you’re able to accept it about others too. Then you’ll stop feeling quite ashamed when someone you’ve mentored spiritually discovers you do something other than study and pray. I was self-conscious for a while until God helped me out of it.
Or worse still, you’ll stop feeling ashamed when someone knows a member of your family isn’t born again. I mean, what? Shame?
Dear friend, live, breathe, bloom, blossom. You’re more than one perspective. The single story is just that, – single.
Tell your own story. Be your own person. Own your story.

”so that is how to create a single story, show a people as one thing, as only one thing over and over again, and that is what they become”.